Bound to Secrets Read Online Free PDF Page B

He brought out an apple, a bar of chocolate, and a thermos flask.
    “In.” He pointed at the sleeping bag, and she sat down and wriggled into it, then took the food he offered. He watched as she ate the chocolate and washed it down with hot coffee.
    There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but waves of sleep were washing over her, dragging her under. She placed the empty cup on the ground beside her and snuggled down. Connor crouched by her head and stroked a hand over her hair. “Go to sleep. I’ll wake you if anyone comes near.”
    She watched for a minute longer as he pulled a set of binoculars out of the rucksack then moved to the highest point and started to scan the surrounding area.
    Then closing her eyes, she slept.
    ***
    Keira slept for eight straight hours. Connor alternated between scanning the area for any signs of life and sitting on a nearby rock watching her sleep. He also tried his cell phone; he needed to contact Sebastian to tell him he’d arrived and Keira was safe. But the phone was dead—he suspected it was more than the lack of a signal. He saw no one and by midday, he relaxed a little. Chances were, if they hadn’t found anything in the last two days, they would have given up.
    For once, the sun shone, the sky arched deep blue above them, transforming the moor. No longer the dark and depressing place he’d first seen.
    He turned his attention to the sleeping woman. She was beautiful, though way too thin, the bones in her face sharp under pale skin. Her hair was dark, not black as he’d first thought, but deep dark brown with glints of ruby. Her brows were elegant arches, her lips soft in sleep, full and tender. Watching her, he felt something tug at his heart. A mixture of compassion and guilt.
    He’d spent the last few years bemoaning his fate. Up until the attack, nothing in his life had ever caused him problems. For as long as he could remember, he’d wanted to be a doctor—like his mom—and save people. He’d sailed through med school and been well on his way to his dream of being a top surgeon when he’d been bitten.
    He hadn’t even been on duty in the ER that night, just passing through when he’d heard the commotion. Everyone else had had the sense to get out of the way, they’d all been running out of the room as he’d run in. Afterward, he hadn’t remembered much.
    It had been the end of his career as a surgeon. The end of any career as a doctor as far as he could see. The smell of blood raised a hunger in him he couldn’t control. Though Sebastian claimed that was his own stubborn fault; if he would accept his wolf, then his control would grow.
    He hadn’t wanted to accept anything about his new situation. Instead, he’d wallowed in self-pity because his perfect life had been fucked up. He’d spent years rejecting what he was, refusing to even acknowledge it more than he absolutely had to.
    But here was this young woman. He could only guess what she had gone through in her early years, but he doubted her childhood had been happy or normal. And her life must have been almost impossible since she’d fled the Agency, never to be able to approach another person for fear of hurting them.
    But she’d made some sort of life for herself out here. She hadn’t given up and immersed herself in self-pity as he had.
    He went and sat beside her, his back resting against the rocky outcrop. As though she sensed his presence, she rolled onto her side and curled up against him one hand resting on his thigh and a sense of peace stole through him.
    When she finally opened her eyes, the sun was high in the sky. She shifted onto her back and blinked, then came awake suddenly and bolted upright.
    “Shh,” he murmured. “It’s okay. Everything is all right.”
    Wonder filled her eyes. He didn’t think anyone had ever looked at him quite like that before and it made him feel inadequate. Unworthy.
    “Hello,” she said.
    “Hello. How do you feel?”
    “Better.